The Australian government Wednesday signed a contract to provide 350,000 Australian dollars (234,500 US dollars) worth of medical aid via the United Nations Development Program to three northwestern and central China provinces.
China's prevention and treatment of the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) had been successful, but, "We can't halt the fight", said Australian Ambassador to China Alan William Thomas at the signing ceremony held in Beijing Wednesday.
The aid would help to prevent and control the SARS epidemic, and other diseases, in the three less-developed provinces of Gansu,Qinghai and Hunan, the ambassador said at the signing ceremony.
The flu-like SARS virus had affected more than 8,000 people in 32 countries and regions worldwide and claimed 799 lives, mostly in China as of Jun. 16, according to a source with the World Health Organization (WHO).
But the outbreak was nearing an end, a WHO senior official saidlast Wednesday, acknowledging that the outbreak of SARS was under control in China.
Ren Minghui, deputy director of the International Cooperation Department under the Ministry of Health, noted that the aid, including medical equipment and a training program, was under preparation and would be distributed in July to the regions and people in need.
"China's achievements in controling the SARS epidemic cannot beseparated from the international community's support," Ren said.
(Xinhua News Agency June 19, 2003)
